Toy



Jan. 1962 cs. MARSHALL 3,017,185

TOY

Filed Dec. 17, 1958 java 7e 07 a flow-new fitates Patent ice 3,017,185 TOY Gerald L. Marshall, 1944 E. 73rd St., Chicago, Ill.

Filed Dec. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 780,972 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-96) This invention relates generally to toys and more particularly, is concerned with a unique toy of extremely economical construction capable of challenging both children and adults in the manner of play thereat and which is operable to improve the physical control and coordination in the player.

The toy structure of the general character herein concerned is operative by the player to toss a ring or hoop in the air which the player attempts to capture on some sort of impaling means provided on the toy when the ring falls back. Toys of this general character have heretofore been known, however, their structures have been characterized by many disadvantages. Such toys have been incapable of presenting consistent and varying challenges to the skill and intelligence of the player. Further, the toys have been bulky and cumbersome to use successfully and with consistent enjoyment by young children; In most instances, the toys have been relatively expensive to manufacture which detracted from their commercial appeal. Also, these toys have been so constructed as to be readily broken if not handled carefully especially by younger children. Another disadvantage arose from the construction of the toy which did not permit their ready and simple collapse or folding so that a child could carry the toy with him conveniently, for instance, on lengthy automobile or train trips. These, and other disadvantages of numerous incidence contributed greatly to a falling out of favor of such toys, especially by older children and adults, who did not find sufiicient challenge in the use of the toys, notwithstanding the many benefits capable of being derived by all age groups from the use of such a toy.

Accordingly, an important object of the invention is to provide a novel toy of the character described which successfully eliminates the disadvantages hereinabove enumerated.

An important object of the invention is to provide a toy of the character described which is formed from inexpensive and easily assembled components in a very economical manner such that the cost of the toy is very substantially reduced.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a toy of the character described which is comprised of a thin, flexible sheet of plastic material of generally polygonal configuration, said sheet member having hand gripping means at diametrically opposite ends thereof and upstanding impaling means in the medial portion thereof, said sheet adapted to be flexed to toss a ring or hoop in the air for the player to capture on said impaling means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy of the character described in which the impaling means and flexible sheet each is formed of a synthetic plastic mate rial capable of being secured together by such economical means as adhesive or heat sealing.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof ensues, in connection with which a preferred embodiment has been described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. It is contemplated that minor variations in the size, arrangement, construction and proportion of the several parts may occur to the skilled artisan without departing from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the toy embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of said toy.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the same and showing in broken outline the manner in which the flexible sheet thereof is flexed for tossing a ring and a ring captured on the impaling means thereof.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken through said toy along the line 44 of FIG. 3 and in the general direction indicated.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference character 10 designates generally the toy embodying the invention. Same includes a thin, flexible carrier sheet 12 preferably formed of a synthetic plastic material such as polyethylene, cellophane or the like, or of composite material in which at least the upper surface of the sheet has a coating or film of such a plastic resin. As seen in FIG. 2, the sheet 12 generally is of elongate, rectangular configuration with opposite ends 14 thereof modestly tapered. Secured on each of the ends 14 is a hand grip 16 comprising an elongate block of plastic or rubber having its upper surface 18 protruding above the upper surface 20 of the sheet 12 to permit a better purchase thereon.

The impaling means of the toy is designated 22 and may be seen to comprise a disc or wafer 24 secured on surface 20 in the median portion of the sheet. Upstanding on said disc or wafer 24 are a plurality of vertically arranged posts or pegs 26 each having an enlarged bulb formation 27 at the upper end thereof. Both the disc 24 and posts 26 preferably are formed of a thermoplastic resin either as an integral formation or one in which the component parts thereof are secured together in any suitable manner. The wafer or disc 24 is relatively rigid and is affixed to the plastic surface 20 either by a suitable adhesive or by Well-known heat sealing procedures, so that the posts or pegs protrude above the surface 20 supported on said platform 24.

Referring to FIG. 3, the solid outline of the toy 10 represents the taut condition thereof. Disposed on the surface 20 is a ring or hcop 28 which likewise may be formed of any suitable plastic material having an internal diameter sufliciently large to permit same to fit over a bulb formation 27 of any one of the posts 26. In using the toy, the player holds each of the hand grips 16 and flexes the sheet 14 by moving the hand grips 16 toward one another to cause the sheet 14 to assume the downwardly curved configuration shown in broken outline 30 and then moving the hand grips apart in a snap action causing the ring to be flipped or tossed in the air. Shown at 32 is a ring successfully impaled on one of the posts or pegs 26. Obviously, adjacent posts will be spaced apart sufliciently so as not to interfere with a hoop being impaled on either of said posts.

Some comparative dimensions of the component parts of the toy 10 as utilized in a successful embodiment of the invention will assist in understanding the skill required in use of the toy and how the same assists in improving physical control and coordination of the player. The overall length of the toy was approximately thirteen inches and the width thereof was six inches. The platform 24 was approximately two inches in diameter and each post 26 projected above surface 20 approximately one inch. The bulb formations 27 each were approximately 7 inch in diameter. The ring 28 has an outside diameter of one inch and an inside diameter of inch and was approximately A3 inch thick.

In order successfully to use the toy, the player must control the degree of flexing of the sheet 12 since an excessive amount of flexing flips the ring either too high to permit capturing thereof or tosses the ring in a lateral direction out of registry with the posts 26. Successful impaling of the ring on a post is made harder by reason of the enlarged formations 27 which provide limited clearance for the ring to fit thereover in view of the relatively little difference between the diameter of a said formation 27 and internal diameter of a ring or hoop. The physical control and coordination required to successfully impale a ring on a post is such that the hoop or ring should be flipped in the air a relatively short distance above the upper end of a post. Thi usually will result in somersaulting of the hoop in the air and upon dropping down toward the sheet 14, must assume a position generally parallel to the plane of the sheet with the opening therethrough generally aligned coaxially with a post. Impact with the bulb formation of a post at an angle or at too great a speed ordinarily can be expected to result in the hoop being deflected, thereby resulting in a mis-cast. It is characteristic of the toys successful operation that the ring should be properly positioned first relative to a post in terms of lateral spacing therefrom and then must be flipped or tossed a proper height from the sheet 14 in order to achieve any consistent measure of success.

The toy thus presents an attractive challenge to the skill and intelligence of players and is therefore attractive to many age groups, especially young children. Although not shown, each of the posts or pegs may be assigned a numerical rating (such as by printing or etching on platform 24) for purposes of scoring and to this end, three rings or hoops may be provided with the toy, one for each peg. The toy is capable of considerable versatility in the manner of play thereof. It may be played so that each of the rings must be impaled on a separate post. It may be played with the objective being to obtain the greatest score in one complete round of play. It may be played with the objective of capturing each of the rings on one of the posts. These and other possible variations in objectives of the game provide for greater longevity of interest capable of being generated and sustained by the toy.

The toy is further characterized by its collapsibility. The sheet 12 is readily fold-able or rolled into a compact bundle which can be carried in a pocket, for instance, very conveniently. The relative size of the component parts also contribute to the improved portability and collapsibility of the toy. Because the parts are capable of being manufactured and assembled using modern methods of mass-production and relatively inexpensive materials, the cost of the toy is substantially reduced. Further, such materials as modern plastics from which the component parts may be made provide for a durable and sturdy structure capable of withstanding considerable force without breaking.

It is believed the invention has been described in sufficient detail so as to enable the skilled artisan to understand and practice the invention. In construing the principles of the invention as set forth in the claims hereto appended, the broadest interpretation thereof is contended for commensurate with the improvements in the arts and sciences contributed by the invention.

What it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A collapsible toy comprising, a flexible sheet memher having hand grip means at diametrically opposite ends thereof, a relatively stiff platform having at least one post upstanding therefrom secured to a median portion of the upper surface of the sheet member and a hoop removably supported on said surface laterally spaced from the post, said sheet member adapted to be flexed transversely by selective movement of the hand grips to toss said hoop upwardly so that a player may attempt to impale the hoop on a post.

2. A toy as described in claim 1 in which there are a plurality of like upstanding posts supported on the platform and each post having an enlarged formation at the upper end thereof smaller than the inner diameter of the hoop.

3. A collapsible toy comprising, a flexiblle sheet of synthetic plastic material of generally elongate rectilinear configuration, hand grip means secured to opposite ends of the sheet, a platform attached to a medial portion of the upper surface of said sheet and having a plurality of upstanding posts spaced apart thereon, and at least one ring member adapted to be flipped in the air by selective movement of the grip means to transversely flex the sheet member intermediate said opposite ends so as to enable a player to impale the ring member on one of said posts, each of said grip means comprising an elongate block member protruding above said upper surface.

4. A toy as described in claim 3 in which each of the posts has an enlarged bulb at the upper end thereof slightly smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 898,350 Foster Sept. 8, 1908 1,013,827 Stranders Jan. 2, 1912 1,156,047 Behrend Oct. 12, 1915 1,573,711 Houle Feb. 16, 1926 2,538,128 Simmons Ian. 16, 1951 

